Vertebrae

If you have back pain, there are several reasons for it to be occurring. It could be something as simple as stress, or as complicated as disc problems in the vertebrae. Disc problems in the vertebrae are serious problems that sometimes can have simple solutions. There are quite a few approaches to treating such problems. Chiropractic and physical therapy are standard and are easily available. However, you might also want to look into spinal decompression procedures, especially VAX-D, which has been proven to be an effective treatment for the causes of back pain. However, before you find the best way to treat your back pain, it is important to learn about how your back works, so that you can help a chiropractor, physical therapist, or VAX-D technician help you. When it comes to understanding low back pain, one of the key parts of your body to know about is the spine and the vertebra. The vertebrae are the bony building blocks of the spine. Between each of the largest part of the vertebrae are the discs. Ligaments are situated around the spine and discs. The spine has seven vertebrae in the neck (cervical vertebrae), twelve vertebrae in the mid-back (thoracic vertebrae), and five vertebrae in the lower back (lumbar vertebrae).

What is the purpose of the spine and its discs?

The bony spine is designed so that, vertebrae "stacked" together can provide a movable support structure, while also protecting the spinal cord (nervous tissue that extends down the spinal column from the brain) from injury. Each vertebrae has a spinous process, which is a bony prominence behind the spinal cord that shields the cord's nerve tissue. The vertebrae also have a strong bony "body" in front of the spinal cord to provide a platform suitable for weight-bearing.

The discs are pads that serve as "cushions" between each vertebrae. They minimize the impact of movement on the spinal column. Each disc is designed like a jelly donut with a central softer component (nucleus pulposus). This softer component can rupture or herniate (or bulge) through the surrounding outer ring (annulus fibrosus) and irritate adjacent nerves. Ligaments are strong fibrous soft tissues that firmly attach bones to bones. Ligaments attach each of the vertebrae and surround each of the discs. When ligaments are injured as the disc degenerates, pain in the area affected can result.

What is degenerative disc disease?

As we age, the water and protein content of the body's cartilage changes. This change results in weaker, more fragile and thin cartilage. Because both the discs and the joints that stack the vertebrae (facet joints) are partly composed of cartilage, these areas are subject to wear and tear over time. These are called "degenerative changes." The gradual deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae is referred to as degenerative disc disease. And sometimes the discs are said to be "desiccated."

Degenerative Disc Disease (or desiccated discs) is medically referred to as spondylosis. Spondylosis can be noted on x-rays or MRI scanning or CAT scans of the spine as a narrowing of the normal "disc space" between the adjacent vertebrae. Degeneration of the disc tissue can weaken the disc wall tissue and make the disc more susceptible to herniation. The narrowing of the disc space caused by disc degeneration (or desiccation) can cause pain in the low back area. The narrowing of the disc space can irritate nerves and cause low back pain. Degenerative disc disease can also result in a condition called "facet syndrome" or "facet arthropathy." Eventually, degenerative disc disease can lead to the build up of calcium on the vertebrae. This condition is called "spinal stenosis."

Any level of the spine can be affected by disc degeneration (or desiccation). When disc degeneration affects the spine of the neck, it is referred to as cervical disc disease. When the mid-back is affected, the condition is referred to as thoracic disc disease. The pain in the low back, or lumbar spine, cause by disc degeneration is often referred to as lumbago. Lumbago common in older persons simply because older people are more likely to have degenerative disc disease. Degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the facet joints is also a cause of localized lumbar pain. The pain from degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine is usually treated conservatively with intermittent heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises, and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation. However, the spinal decompression procedure, VAX-D, has been shown to be very effective at treating the degenerative disc disease that is the cause of such low back pain.

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